Patrons, pupils and school authorities in such numbers that they filled the building to capacity attended the dedicatory exercises held Saturday afternoon in District No. 12's new modern schoolhouse, 7 miles northwest of Columbus.
More than ordinary interest attaches to the new school in District 12 because, like its predecessors in that district for half a century past, it will be the polling place for Shell Creek township.
The committe in charge bore that fact in mind in designing the new structure. They provided for a large room in the basement which will serve the three fold purposes of a play room for the pupils in stormy weather, a community meeting place for the people of the district and facilities for the voting booths on election day. A direct entrance from the outside makes possible the use of the community room without disturbing the school.
The new building is 32 by 24 feet in ground dimensions. In every respect it meets the state requirements for a standard school. Light is admitted to the school room from the left and rear through windows that have an area equal to more than 20 per cent of the floor space. Seats and desks are of the latest type. There are built-in bookcases and a small room is provided on the main floor in which the pupils may store their dinner pails. The building is heated by a hot air furnace. The community room in the basement is equipped with lunch tables.
E.L. Mueller, director; George Saalfeld, moderator; Jacob Gottberg, treasurer; Adam Behle and Ed Reins comprised the building committee. Otto Krumland was the builder. Miss Mary Welch is the teacher.
The program for the dedicatory exercises Saturday afternoon was a most interesting one. It included musical numbers by Elmer Hardy; the flag salute, the American's Creed and a group song by the pupils; recitations by several of the pupils--"The First Car" by Gustave Garbers; "Father," by Elden Mueller; "Who" by Kathryn Coupens; "When Dad Helps Wash the Dishes," by Barbara Reins; "Buying Candy," by Charles Gillett; "Dad" by Harold Saalfeld; "To You," by Louis Toczek, "Memory Gems and Safety First" by a group of 11 pupils; a history of District 12, by Della Rice; and talks by County Attorney Otto F. Walter, R.A. Drishaus, Max Gottberg, Peter Schmidt, Miss Birde Dodds, Mrs. Mattie Gertsch, C.B. Fricke and County SUperintendent Fred S. Lecron. After the program the ladies of the district served a splendid lunch in the new community room.
County Attorney Walter in his address stressed the value of an education. Russia, he said, had a larger area, more minerals and just as good agricultural lands as the United States but has been backward in its development because the great mass of the people has not been properly educated. Education, he said, increases a person's capacity to enjoy life, to study both sides of a question and arrive at the right conclusions. Good citizenship depends upon supporting those things that give the masses a better education, he said, such as the schools and the churches.
Mr. Drishaus, vocational education instructor in the Columbus high school, gave a short talk on agriculture and said he would be pleased to arrange for a course of group meetings to be held in the basement of the new building to discuss agricultural problems.
Max Gottberg, head of the Gottberg Auto company, who lived in district 12 for many years and once served as its director, in an informal talk spoke of the progress of transportation in the short span of a comparatively few years. He recalled that when he lived on a farm in district 12 he sat on a board on the old lumber wagon when he drove to town. Later a sack of straw served as a cushion and then came the buggy with springs. Finally the automobile was invented. Mr. Gottberg recalled that he went to St. Louis during the Louisiana exposition and returned with a new car. Folks thought he was wild, but he had faith in the future of the automobile and he sold some of his land, bought a lot in Columbus and went into the auto business where the Gottberg garage now stands. He expressed the opinion that the automobile as a means of transportation is about perfected now and the next great step forward would be int he practical use of the airplane.
Mr. Schmidt gave an interesting talk on pioneer life, expressing his sincere belief in education. Discussing the development of good roads, he said the next step should be the improvement of the country roads that reach the home of every farmer.
Miss Birde Dodds, a former teacher, related the fact that when Mr. Gottberg passed the schoolhouse in his first auto, the pupils would be given a recess in order that they might go outside and see the new invention pass the school. Few people at that time, she said, thought the automobile would become as practical as it now is. Mrs. Mattie Gertsch, also a former teacher in the district, congratulated the people of the district on their fine new school, as also did C.B. Fricke, Columbus business man.
County Superintendent Lecron told the people of the district that he had visited District 12 many times, but that this was the most pleasant visit of all. The new schoolhouse, he said, was a most appropriate Christmas present to the boys and girls of the community.
The following history of District 12 was written and read by Della Rice:
"The school district and board of No. 12 are to be congratulated upon the completion of their beautiful and modern new school building. A building completely equipped and furnished with all the conveniences for taking care of and educating the pupils of the district in the most thorough and efficient manner possible.
"In looking upon this fine, new school, marking as it does a distinct improvement, made possible by the wise management and careful thrift of the district since its organization, it is of interest to note that District 12 was one of the pioneer districts of the county. Up to 1869 it was included with District 4, which comprised 108 sections, extending from the Madison county line to Columbus township a distance of 18 miles. The school board at that time was composed of Pat Hayes, director; J. Carrig, treasurer, and Tom Lynch, moderator.
"The newly organized district, No. 12, began business in a little log cabin rented by Mr. Conway about half a mile southwest of the present site, with Wm. Ellis as teacher. This modest building was filled with pupils to its capacity as those rugged pioneer families were very large. The teacher depended for his salary on donations or a sort of tax from each family, depending upon the number of children each sent to school. All the books used by the pupils were furnished by their parents or guardians.
"The school specialized in the three essential studies--reading, writing and arithmetic--attaining great proficiency in these. Some of the beautiful examples of penmanship by former pupils are equalled by very few, even in these days of modern methods of teaching.
"A number of prominent business men and some of the women of Columbus and vicinity received their first years of school in this district. Among them were J.J. Burke, C.J. Carrig, Mike Dineen, J.F. Dineen, Tim Hogan, Max Gottberg's sons, Allan Hayes and Mrs. Clarence Gerrard.
"The first school board of District 12 (in 1870) so far as we can find, was composed of Wm. Ripp, director; Dr. Heintz, treasurer; J. Conway, moderator. Since that time nearly every family in the district at some time has been represented upon the school board in one capacity or another.
"The school house in this district has been used as a voting place for many years. This new building is equipped with side entrance so that elections and other business meetings may be held in the basement without disturbing the school rooms.
"The present school board is composed of Emil Miller, director; Jake Gottberg, treasurer and George Saalfeld, moderator. They, with Ed Reins and Adam Behle, were the building committee.
"Since the little log cabin school of 1870 there have been five frame buildings on the present site. Two of the early ones were destroyed by fire.
"A fairly complete list of the teachers includes the following names: Wm. Ellis, James Conway, J.J. Manghan, W.H. Tedrow, who later became county superintendent of Platte county, D.A. Cooper, M.J. Hogan, D.W. Schaff, J.E. Conway, Maggie Dineen, Ella Dineen, Nellie Lynch, Mary Gleason, Albert Cramer, John Hayes, Kittie Linahan, Birde Dodds, Anna O'Callaghan, Rosemary O'Callaghan, Veronica Dineen, Esther Nauenburg, Mattie Piling, Lena Hembd, Mabel Nauenburg, Viola Gleason and Mary Welch."
[The Columbus Daily Telegram, December 20, 1926]